Health, safety, and productivity in a manufacturing environment

Truck and Engine Corporation includes the measurement, analysis, and manage ment of the individual component programs affecting employee safety, health , and productivity. The key to the success of the program was the iterative approach used to identify the opportunities, develop interventions, and ac hieve targets through continuous measurement and management. In addition, t he integration of multiple disciplines and the overall emphasis on employee productivity and its cost are key foci of the International Model. The pro gram was instituted after economic and clinical services' analyses of data on International employees showed significant excess costs and a high poten tial for health care cost reductions based on several modifiable health ris k factors. The company also faced significant challenges in the safety, wor kers' compensation, and disability areas. The program includes safety, work ers' compensation, short-term disability, long-term disability, health care , and absenteeism. Monthly reports/analyses are sent to senior management, and annual goals are set with the board of directors. Economic impact has b een documented in the categories after intervention. For example, a compreh ensive corporate wellness effort has had a significant impact in terms of r educing both direct health care cost and improving productivity, measured a s absenteeism. Workers' compensation and disability program interventions h ave had an impact on current costs, resulting in a significant reduction of financial liability. In the final phase of the program, all direct and ind irect productivity, costs will be quantified. The impact of the coordinated program on costs associated with employee health will be analyzed initiall y and compared with a "silo" approach.